Apparatus for producing stage effects.



H. THURSTON.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STAGE EFFECTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. s, 1913.

l,104,846. Patented July 28,1911L 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR H. THURSTON.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STAGE EFFECTS.

" Patented Jill 28,191 L 4 SHEET3-SHEET 2.

H. THURSTON. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STAGE EFFECTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8. 1913 Patented July 28, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

QmE

M M w \NITNESSES H. THURSTON. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STAGE EFFECTS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, 1913.

1,1 04,846,. Patented July 28, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES INVENTOR mmm FIELE.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HOWARD 'r rrunsron, or

coscon, oonnno'rrcu'r.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STAGE EFFECTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed December 1913; Serial No.-805,313. v

To (ilk whom, it may concern:

has for its object the combination of vehicles moving along a portion of a track arranged on the stage with means whereby an illusory appearance of the same vehicles moving over vanother portion of the track may be produced. I

y The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a front view showing a portion of a race track on the stage and a curtain having a lapd scape painted thereon and showing in outline a portion of the race track; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on a plane indicated the line IIIIFig. 1, Flg. 3 is a sectional elevation on a plane ndicated by the line IIIIII Fig. -2; Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing an accident occurring to one of the cars; Fig. 5 shows a portion of a moving picture film; Fig. 6 shows in front elevation and in section a form of apparatus adapted to. be used in lieu of the moving picture apparatus for producing "the illusory movements of the vehicles; Fig. 7 shows in longitudinal and transverse sections a modification Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 shows in plan and section a suitable manner of connecting the operating rcdsto thecars. While an automobile race has been se-.

lected-for illustrating my mprovements, it

will behreadily understood by those skilled in theart', that the apparatus can be employed for depicting the movements of other vehicles and also races between men and ani' mals" and hence the term'obiect is used herein in its broadest sense and as including vehicles of the auto type, bicycles, vehicles drawn by horses, ,men and animals, and boats. i

'In the practice of invention a portion-i 1 a track which may be v usedQfor vehiclesmoyipg on' land or in the form of a tank for of the apparatus shown in gmotor boats, etc., is arranged on the stage 5 near the front thereof and extends from beghlnd the wing 2 on one side of the stage to ia point behind the opposite wing 2. As ishown in Fig. 2 the portion 1 of the track lis-a part of a circular track, so. that objects passing back of 2, can be moved around back iof the drop curtain 4 along the portion 3 i of the circular track and caused to move out 1 agaln from behind the wing 2. At the bei ginning of a race, say a race between auto- Emobiles, full sized operative machines are along the portion 1 of the trackand pass out behind and off the track behind the g wing 2. Each of the real autos are rendered distinctive from the others by color or by mark as numerals, 5, 7, 9. In addition to the real machines, skeleton dummies con: structed to closely resemble the real mechines and havin similar distinctive marks are arranged behind the drop curtain 4,and as each real machine passes behind the wing 2 the dummy corresponding thereto is started along the D0rt1on 3 of the track. These dummies which have real auto wheels set at such an angle, as to move without steering along the circular vtrack may be shiftedby any suitable means. In the con-,

i struction shown a vertical shaft 8 is secured on the stage in the center of the circular track and on this shaft are mounted sleeves '9 provided with radial ears 10, to which the inner ends of arms 11 are pivotally connected. The outer-ends of these arms are formed connected to the respective cars.

f by hinged sections 12 which are deta'chably speed along the portion 101? the track, and

Patented Jul -2s, 1914.

Edriven by chauffeurs from behind the wing It is desirable to produce the best effects that the dummy" should pass at a very high K ,hence the portion 3 of the track is inclined upwardly from the point a just behind the drop curtain t0 the point I) and inclines steeply down to the point c 'where it will pass behind the wing '2. The attendant pushes the dummies up from the point a to the point 6 and at the proper time starts the dummy down this steep incline the dummies. wi acquire a very hlgh veocityand dash quickly beseen by reference to Fig. 3 the lower-edge 13 of the curtain 1 is formed of light flexible 11 under thehcujrtain while the carsmove down toward the point 0. While passin' material to allow of-the passage of the arms along the portion 1 of the track. Asswill along the portion 1 of the track. The real cars are used only at the beginning of the race and the dummies are thereafter employed.

()n the curtain 4 is painted a suitable landscape which is also continued on the wings 2 and 2, and a track 14 is so outlined through the landscape as to appear to be a continuation of the portion 1 of the track on the stage. The efiect of a lighted track is produced by forming openings 15 along the edge of the outlined track'and behind these openings are arranged lamps 16. In order to give the effect of distance these openings are made gradually smaller to what is apparently the most distant point of the track, In order to give the impression that cars are passing along the track 14 a moving picture apparatus 17 is preferably employed. A film 18 such as shown in Fig.

5 is so produced from a'real auto race in a manner wellknown in the art, that when thrown on the curtain 4, automobiles or other objects so photographed will appear to be moving along the track 14. After the film has been taken all parts except where the cars appear are rendered opaque, so that only the cars will appear on the curtain. It will be understood that the cars which are photographed ,will be distinctively marked to correspond with the real cars and dummies used on the stage, so that the efiect will be heightened.

In lieu of the moving picture apparatus,

the desired effect may be produced by male ing the part of the curtain on which the track is outlined of translucent material and throwing onto that portion shadows of the cars, the shadows being caused to move along the track. The shadows may be produced by painting the outlines of the cars on the glass fronts 19 of boxes 20, in which are arranged lamps 21. These boxes are moved in paths corresponding to the track and the sharpness of the shadows are decreased or increased to give the effect of the cars moving-away from or toward the audience by moving the light or glass 19 relative one to the other. Or the glass and lamp may be relatively stationary and the box as a whole moved from and toward the curtain.

In lieu of painting the outlines of an automobile or other object on the glass front of the box 20, a miniature skeleton 31 of the object so constructed that its parts may be operated by a suitable motor, is arranged in the box in front of the lamp, as shown in Fig. 7 This apparatus may be operated as stated in connection with the construction shown in Fig. 6.

Whenit is desired to show an accident in the race a collapsible dummy 22 resembling closely in appearance is employed.

During the'race this dummy is placed-on a platform 23 extending laterally from the portion 3 of the circular track and preferably adjacent to its highest part. At

' the proper time one of the dummies 5, 7

or 9 is shifted from the track and the col lapsible dummy substituted therefor. After the preceding car has passed the judges stand 24, the post 25 which is hinged at its lower end to a suitable support drops over across the track onto a block 26 adapted to be raised at the proper time to support the post. As the dummy 22 strikes the post it will collapse giving a very realistic reproduction of an accident. In order to heighten this effect, wires 27 and 28 are connected respectively to the rear end of.the collapsible car 22 and also the rubber manikin 29 seated in the car. As shown in Fig. 2 these wires pass the edge of the curtain 4, which is stiffened to prevent distortion, across the front of the curtain and over pulleys 30, behind the representations 31 of a grandstand suflicient weights are attached to the wires to keep them under tension as the dummy 22 moves from the platform ,23 to the point where the accident occurs. As

the dummy strikes the fallen post and collapses, an attendant gives a strong pull to the Wires and jerks the manikin behind the grand stand and causes the car to turn a complete somersault.

While for convenience in describing, and showing my improvement, I have adapted a track suitable for auto vehicles it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that a course or way for any kind of vehicle may be employed and hence the term track is used herein in its broadest sense.

It is characteristic of the means employed for producing the illusory effects on the curtain, it is capable of conveying the impression of movement of the objects but also of their movements independent one of the other.

To produce the effect of a race the order of movement of the objects should be changed, so as to give the impression of'one object passing the other. The platform 23 forms a convenient means for effecting such change of position. As soon as car moves into line with the platform its propelling arm is detached, and moved to one side and the car moved onto the platform. The other car or cars are then moved ahead, the first car moved back onto the track and its propelling arm connected thereto. Of course these changes of position will be reproduced when making the film and shown on the'curtain.

In lieu of the manikin a real person or other object may be'placed in the collapsible car to be suddenly removed at the time of:

the accident. It will be understood that the portion of the stage infront of the curtain 4 is to be brightly illuminated by suitably arranged lights, which however should be so shaded asto leave the curtain sufiiciently' obscured so as to bring out'sharply the pictureor shadow thrown, thereon ashereinbefore stated.

I claim herein as my-invent-ion:

1. In an apparatus for producing stage eflects, the combination of an endless track arranged on a sta e, objects adapted to move along said trac a curtain arranged to conceal a portion of-the track and having outlined thereon a representation of the portion of the track concealed by the curtain, and-means for producing the illusion oi objects moving along the track outlined on the curtains.

2. In an apparatus for producing stage effects, the combination of an endless track arranged on a stage, objects adapted to move along said track, means for imparting an ran . sion of ob'ects moving a the latter have moved onto the concealed I efiects, the combination 0 increasing speed to the objects as they move along a portion of the track, a curtain arto conceal a portionof the track and having outlined thereon a representation of the portion of the track concealed by the curtain, and means for roducing the illu-' ong the track outlined on t e curtain.

3. In an apparatus ,for producing stage effects, the combination of an endless track arranged on a stage, objects adapted to move along said track, means for independently propelli 'said objects, a curtain arran to concea a portion of the track and means .for producing on the curtain the efi'ect of the continued movement of the objects when portion of the track.

4. In an apparatus for firoducm illuso an en ess trac objects adapted to move arranged ona stage for propelling said along said track, means objects independently one of the other, a cur-- tain arranged to conceal a portion of the track, and means'for producing on the curtain the efiect of the continued and indeendent movement of the objects when the atter have passed from in front of the curtain.

5. In an apparatus for producing stage effects, the combination of an endless track having a ortion thereof elevated, objects movable a ong said track, means for propelling' the objects along the track, a curtain arranged conceal the elevated pormy hand.

tion of the track and means for producing on the curtain the effect of the'continued movement of the objects when the latter have passed from in front of the curtain.

6. In an apparatus for producing stage effects, the combination of a track arranged on'the' stage, objects adapted to move along said track, a collapsible representation of one of said objects adaptedto be substituted for the latter and an obstructionadapted to be shifted into the path of movement ofthe collagsible dummy;

In an apparatus effects, the combination of a track arranged on a' sta objects 'adaptedto move along of one!) said trac a collapsible dummy said objects and adapted to be substituted therefor, a manikin carried by the collapsible dummy, an obstruction adapted to be shifted into the path of movement of the dummy and wires connected to the dummy and manikin for shifting the manikin and dummy when the latter strikes the obstruc tion.

.8. In an apparatus for producing stage 7 efl'ects, the combination of an endless track arranged on a sta objects movable alon said track, means or independently (prope ling said objects detachably connecte the to, and a platform extending from the track for the reception of an object when it is deged sired to change the order of movement of the objects. 4

9. In, an apparatus for producing stage efl'ec'ts,, the combination of means for producing on the stage certain predetermined.) actions or movements, and a moving picture apparatus for producing the illusion of the continuation 0 such actions or movements after the ob'ects involved in such actions or movements ave passed out of sight of the audience.

for producing stage 10. The method of producing stage eflects,

wh-ch consists in forming moving fil s of scenery, and objects moving t rough suc scenery, depicting the scenery on a curtain, blotting the scenery from the film and projecting the moving objects on the curtain.

" In testimony'whereof, I have hereunto HOWARD THURSTON.

' \Vitnesses: PAUL J. Jonas,

MancAm M. Connor.

picture 

